By Robert A. Emmanuel
As prisoners continue to agitate against poor prison conditions, Attorney General and Minister of Public Safety Steadroy Benjamin has expressed scepticism over the authenticity of the protests at His Majesty’s Prison.
In an interview with the Daily Observer, Benjamin addressed for the first time the situation occurring at the country’s lone penal institution.
“I am of the firm opinion that the agitation may not necessarily be genuine but otherwise orchestrated by others trying to prove a point,” he said.
On Monday, inmates reportedly freed themselves into the prison courtyard using keys forcibly taken from a warden. The action followed days of protests over what inmates say was dire food exacerbated by recent shortages of cooking gas, with some meals reduced to crackers and cheese.
Despite inmates’ complaints about the allegedly rat-infested kitchen and the quality of food they were receiving, Benjamin insisted that the meals being served to those confined are of a good standard.
“We have provided meals for the prisoners by the chefs at the National School Meals Programme, so we make certain that the diet is what is acceptable,” he said.
“There have been some challenges in terms of health issues, but the government is addressing those circumstances.”
Benjamin, speaking after the Antigua Barbuda Labour Party’s rally on Monday night, claimed that a review and revamp of the prison administration will take place after the elections if his party is successful in securing a third term.
“Some complaints are justified; I myself have expressed my concerns about that. We are going to have a complete revamping of the prison administration,” he said, adding that amendments will be made to the Prison Act.
The Attorney General also articulated that the government, if re-elected, would seek to purchase jamming equipment to prevent inmates from communicating with the public via cell phones.
Prisoners have long had access to cell phones and at the weekend some called Observer media to complain about the conditions they are subjected to and even sent videos from within the institution’s walls.
Problems with overcrowding, the use of slop buckets, and inadequate nutrition and water at the country’s 18th century penal facility have been well documented over the years by both media and human rights agencies.
Yesterday, former Commissioner of Police and attorney Wendel Robinson revealed that he, along with other lawyers, will be filing a constitutional motion against the administration in charge of the prison.
Speaking on Observer AM, Robinson said the attorneys were filing the motion as a result of the length of time that some prisoners have been placed on remand, among other reasons.
“We are in the process of filing a constitutional motion before the High Court…and I do have a habeas corpus matter that I am going to file against the Commissioner of Police, the magistrate and the Superintendent of Prisons because they have an inmate in prison that has been there for several months and they have kept remanding [him] for failing to wear a facemask,” Robinson explained.
He later added that the constitutional motion would focus on the “condition of the prison” and the “breach of human rights”.
The former Commissioner of Police also criticised how the justice system works with persons on remand.
“When a person is on remand, they do not get any remission off their time…and the other situation is… although they do not go out and do hard labour, they are only allowed out one hour [per day],” he said.
Benjamin also addressed the issue of remand during the interview, claiming that this will be looked at thoroughly next year.
“I have spoken to the Director of Public Prosecutions department and there are instances where better monitoring of persons on remand must be taken.
“We will get officers specifically assigned to monitor remand prisoners, to make certain that their matter will be dealt with expeditiously. If not, they would be discharged conditionally on bail,” Benjamin said.